Monday, September 17, 2007

Carroll research update

This is just to let you all know about the latest genealogy findings.This was done byKate Gibbons, a professional genealogist who searched records at Pottsville, in Schuylkill county.

My research goal was to try and obtain information about Andrew Carroll's date of death through additional sources. Initially, my cousins, Edward P Carroll Jr and John Joseph Carroll, were the first to search for any information on Andrew Carroll's date of death. This took place in 1920's. Unfortunately, they did not have any success finding Andrew's date of death.

Not knowing what other sources that my cousins consulted besides the Index of deaths, I asked Ms. Gibbons to look into the following: Following are portions of the final research report :

1- Index to Deaths 1893-1905

The county, as noted above, did record deaths for the period 1893-1905. Not all deaths were included as it was not mandatory. Schuylkill County Death Index Book 1 on microfilm consisting of handwritten indexes for the period 1893-1901 was researched and no Andrew CARROLL was contained. There were just over one dozen individuals with the CARROLL surname who died and were recorded here or were legible. I then proceeded to the actual records for each male CARROLL and reviewed each male listing in case of spelling errors, typographical errors/mistakes in first names, or even the possibility that Andrew used two first names as sometimes was the case (for example, “John Joseph”, who might have been known as “Joseph”). Of the seven males reviewed with different first names, none matched with known information on Andrew or his spouse.

A Directory of the Eleventh Census of the Population of Schuylkill County was researched in the following townships/boroughs where the CARROLLS were known ore believed to have resided according to client information and census records provided. No Andrew or Catherine CARROLL was found in: Tamaqua; Shenandoah; Mahanoy Township (includes Lost Creek, the birthplace of one child); or New Castle Township.A Directory of the Eleventh Census of the Population of Schuylkill County. Lebanon, PA: E.E. Schartel, Publ., 1891.

3- Wills :

The Schuylkill County Register of Willsrecorded wills and estates for the period in question, the Index to Estates for 1811-1936 was researched and no Andrew CARROLL was contained in the index. The Index to Wills Book #1 was also reviewed and no Andrew CARROLL was contained. An individual may not be contained in either of those if he/she died without real property (such as real estate, for example), so not all those who died will be found in either of these listings. Index to Estates, Schuylkill County, 1811-1936. County Archives and Record Management. Schuylkill County Courthouse, Pottsville, PA.

4- Newspaper Compilations and Book Index

The Miners’ Journal newspaperwas a newspaper in Schuylkill County. The Schuylkill County Historical Society has an index compiled by staff of deaths listed in that newspaper. This is the only newspaper there for which deaths are indexed. For the period 1829-1899 two CARROLLS were listed, but no Andrew. One was “A.H. CARROLL, but the date of death was too early and it was a female who died in New Jersey. I’ve listed those below for your information exactly as they appeared:Carroll, A.H. 55. Blarestown NJ 09/26/1847 wife of J F of Port Carbon, at son in laws Rev J A ReilyCarroll, Joseph F, aged, Port Carbon 01/25/1855The Miners’ Journal, compiled index to deaths, 1829-1899 , #250A, Schuylkill County Historical Society, Pottsville, PA.

For the period 1899-1935 there were no matching CARROLLS of any first name who died in 1900 or before.

The Index to Schuylkill County and Its Residentsincludes an index to primarily prominent residents. No Andrew CARROLL or Catherine CARROLL was includedHistory of Schuylkill County, PA with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers. New York: W. W. Munsell & Co., 18

I'll just taking a raincheck for awhile on the question of when our ancestor died. Ther are either no known written sources, or we have not yet hitten on the right ones.I'am always open to any research suggestions., and your comments are very welcome.On the otherhand, the new-found knowledge about Andrew's Irish origins, could just push me on to research with the LDS genealogy services in France . If I could get a microfilm for St Canice's cathedral in Kilkenny in the future, this may begin a new research possibility.